Massachusetts

Massachusetts

  • Key Stats

  • Established 1985
  • 4,300 students served in 2022
  • Cities: Boston, Cambridge, Fall River, Malden, Somerville

Though Massachusetts boasts one of the most educated workforces in the nation, the state’s wage divide is widening. By 2020, 72 percent of Massachusetts jobs will require some higher education, yet rising costs keep college out of reach for the state’s low-income students who are 26 percent less likely to enroll in college than their higher-income peers. 

To close these gaps and to give all students equitable access to high-quality postsecondary opportunities, we bring our college affordability advising to the communities who need it most, such as Fall River where only 14 percent of adults have bachelor’s degrees. Across six cities last year, we supported more than 9,100 students.

In 2017, uAspire Massachusetts launched policy and systems change work to improve college affordability across the state. We’re leveraging our expertise, building coalitions, and partnering with institutions and policymakers to address the financial barriers that keep too many of our young people from graduating college.

 

Program Partners

We are honored to work alongside our extraordinary partners. Together, we are removing the financial barriers that keep too many of Massachusetts' young people from graduating college and reaching their potential.

In June 2018, the Biogen Foundation announced uAspire as one of six key partners of the four-year, $10 million STAR Initiative to help students from low-income families in Cambridge and Somerville, Massachusetts, gain STEM exposure and successfully transition into postsecondary education. With this funding, uAspire will provide its college affordability advising to more students in these communities.

uAspire Massachusetts is proud to be one of five partner organizations in State Street's Boston Workforce Investment Network (Boston WINs) supporting Boston youth from high school into the workforce. Being a WINS member has given us the opportunity to work more intentionally with our partners toward improved student outcomes. During the 2016-2017 school year, coordinated action with our State Street Boston WINs partners in 30 Boston high schools led to 22% more FAFSAs submitted and 29% more award letters reviewed over last year.

uAspire administers scholarships held by the Greater Boston Real Estate Board (GBREB), assisting them with application design and collection, eligibility determination, awardee recommendations, and fund disbursement. Learn more.

Since 2008, uAspire has partnered with Success Boston, an innovative citywide college completion initiative that engages the Boston Public Schools (BPS), the City of Boston, 37 higher education institutions, and local nonprofits to double the college completion rate for students from BPS. As the initiative's college affordability partner, we provide our Succeed text advising to students and college affordability training to Success Boston coaches.

Dejah

Meet Dejah

"I’m just ready to grow as this young adult and go through this new journey and see what comes from there."
“She had me pretty young,” Dejah, who has six siblings, says of her mother, “and now she’s getting her associate’s degree. I’m pretty proud of her and seeing her do something different encouraged me to go to school too and be something better.” keep reading

Meet Our Team

Leyshonna Reed

Leyshonna Reed

College Affordability Advisor

Femi Stoltz

Femi Stoltz

Massachusetts Policy Director

Kassandra Sweatt

Kassandra Sweatt

Training Specialist

Giovanni Germain

Giovanni Germain

Scholarship Administration Coordinator

Alayna Blodgett

Alayna Blodgett

College Affordability Advisor

Edwin Aguirre

Edwin Aguirre

College Affordability Advisor

View all team members